Family Blood
by MissScaryKitty
Summary: After two years of being held against her will, Ursula Phantomhive escapes the mysterious Cavendish Academy for Young Ladies and finds out that her brother, Ciel, is alive. Returning to the manor, she finds herself thrown into a world of cultists, reapers and demons. Sebastian/OC
1. A Reunion

After two years of being held against her will, Ursula Phantomhive escapes the mysterious Cavendish Academy for Young Ladies and finds out that her brother, Ciel, is alive. Returning to the manor, she soon discovers she is a bit out of her depth with cultists, reapers and demons and ends up making a deal with a certain handsome butler to help her protect her family. Sebastian/OC

**Chapter One: A Reunion**

Ursula gripped tightly to her wet traveling coat as she stared at the steady flames dancing calmly in the fireplace. This was the perfect place to take shelter from the rain, she thought wearily. Tucking her feet under her chair, she laid her head on the table. Her fingers slipped from her mug of cider letting it sit unattended.

She had never been to a pub before. Why would she? It would be a scandal to see a Lady enter one of these establishments. But she was no longer a Lady. In fact, she supposed she was nobody now. What a sobering thought.

When she was a girl, she often dreamed of being a gypsy. She could travel the world free from responsibility. Her imaginary vagabond life was far quainter and certainly less dangerous than what it actually turned out to be.

Deep inside the pub was cozy and comforting. She could have stayed there all night if she wished, hiding from the darkness and the rain. But the risk was too high. The safety she felt there was only an illusion, a dangerous one that could get her caught. Just the thought of it brought her to her feet. They were sore and her balance was off but she wasn't going to sit back down. Those who hunted her could be anywhere among the crowd.

Approaching the bar she paid for her drink and made for the door. As she turned to leave, something she overheard stopped her. The man next to her dropped the name Phantomhive. Ursula's sapphire eyes widened in shock. She had not expected to hear that name from a stranger's lips. Not since her family's death two years ago. Holding in a gasp, she inconspicuously leaned her back against the bar to listen in.

"Strangest thing really. After two years the Phantomhive boy just appeared out of thin air. Built the manor back up and everything." The elder of the two men commented.

There was a derisive snort from the youngest. "I'm sure the people running the Funtom Toy Company are happy to hear there's a master back in the house."

Ursula gripped onto her the edges of her coat, desperately kneading them with her hands.

"Don't you know it? They're probably putting their heads together right now, planning on how to get rid of him."

That was all she needed to hear to set her in motion. Pushing through the crowd, she ran out into the rain.

Impossible, she thought, bringing her hands up to cover her mouth. She knew her shock was evident to anyone who saw her but she couldn't help it. She felt as if someone had just knocked her clean off her feet. The downpour began drenching her to the bone, sufficiently hiding the large tears that welled up in her eyes. Her breathing was short, coming out in small gasps but she kept moving down the road.

Could Ciel really be alive after all this time? The hope of something so miraculous had never crossed her mind. But those men were speaking of it as lightly as one would the weather. It must be true, she thought. How she hoped it were true.

Wasting no time, she reversed her direction and headed back towards the countryside. If there was even the slightest of truth in what the men were saying, she had to know. Fighting through the wind and the rain, she slowly made her way toward Phantomhive Manor.

It had taken her two days traveling on foot but she had finally made it. When Ursula came upon the familiar little bend in the driveway, her heart jumped into her throat. The manor would be just a little ways beyond. She began to run down the muddy road hoping beyond hope she would find something other than a charred pile of rubble.

Rounding the bend, she dug the heels of her boots into the wet ground. Unable to hold back a cry, she stared up at the structure in front of her with large tears in her eyes. Before her stood Phantomhive Manor in all it's glory. Every white stone, every tree was just how she remembered it. She did not know how, but there it was. In fact, she was too overjoyed to care.

She continued on towards the house, slowly, tentatively. As if it would disappear at any moment. The pebble walkway crunched pleasantly underfoot, clearly sounding her approach. Every bush and flowerbed stood proudly in their planters, presenting themselves to her as she walked by. It all was immaculate. The entire house was recreated perfectly, down to every detail.

Ursula placed her hand on the front door, almost as if she were waiting to feel a pulse. It was strange to think she would have to knock and wait to be received like a stranger in her own home. Curling her fingers into an unfamiliar fist, she rapped twice on the finished wood. She could hear it echo from inside. The whole place sounded empty. Wringing her hands together in nervous anticipation, she couldn't help but wonder if that was loud enough. After a moment Ursula pressed her ear to the door and listened for any sound of approaching footsteps. There was nothing. Suddenly she felt the door give way and she jumped back.

Startled, she slowly gazed up at the person who answered the door. He was tall, lean, and incredibly handsome. His jet-black hair fell over his eyes like brushstrokes, framing the most beautiful red eyes she had ever seen. His aura was ethereal in a way and shaded by mystery. And his posture was nothing short of immaculate. He stared down at her with a polite smile that never quite reached his eyes. It took a good long moment for her to realize he was the butler.

"Good afternoon, madam. Welcome to Phantomhive Manor. How may I help you?" His voice was like black velvet but it did not cover up the fact that she was a stranger in this house. She did not expect to be recognized in the least but it still made her feel slightly hallow inside.

What would this man say if she were to tell him she was the long lost Phantomhive daughter? He would think she was crazy and send her on her way. She had to see Ciel. But in order to get to him, she had to lie. What story should she tell him, though? He seemed smarter than your average butler. Pursing her lips, she took in a thoughtful breath and then put on a proper smile.

"Good day, I'm... Ursula Underwood, secretary to Mr. Thomas Bartelbee director of the Funtom Toy Company, India branch. I have an urgent message for Lord Phantomhive about several ongoing discrepancies in our shipment manifests. It seems that someone in the company is stealing merchandise during transport. We were hoping to get permission to look over your master's ledgers- see at what point in the rout the shipments are being thinned out and by how much."

Sebastian immediately knew there was something not right with her story. If there were anything wrong with the company's numbers he would have caught it himself. He was about to dismiss the young lady- redirect her to their office in London where she would most certainly be turned away as well- but there was something about her that stopped him. That straight blonde hair, those large sapphire blue eyes. Though they were dulled by her traveler's garb, he had seen them somewhere before- the woman in the portrait above the stairs. Lady Phantomhive. Though the girl before him looked to be no older than 18, the family resemblance was unmistakable.

Ciel had spoken only once of his sister- that she was alive but voluntarily absent. He once overheard Madam Red say she had been sent away to secondary school only a month before the incident. With that knowledge one would conclude she had gotten out before any tragedy struck her. But if this young woman was indeed the mysterious Ursula Phantomhive, as he suspected, she certainly didn't look as if she had escaped her family's tragedy.

Regardless if his hunch were right or not, his curiosity was piqued and he wasn't averse to having a bit of excitement for today. Worst-case scenario would end with him escorting her off the property. In the end, this was too delicious of an opportunity to pass up.

"I'm sure my master would be more than happy to show you his ledgers, Miss Underwood. Please, right this way." He said, stepping aside to let her in.

As she passed over the threshold she couldn't help herself and stole a sidelong glance at the handsome butler. Unfortunately, he caught her staring and she immediately averted her gaze. Sebastian watched her cheeks turn pink from embarrassment with some pleasure. If she really was Ciel's sister, life in the manor could become quite interesting indeed, the demon thought to himself.

Once she was inside, Sebastian watched her take in the lavish sight of the entry hall. Her face turned white as a sheet, her large eyes widening as she looked around. It was as if she had seen a ghost.

"Beautiful, is it not?" He smiled, looking down at her.

"Yes. Breathtaking," she managed to say, still unable to take her eyes off of the vision before her.

The parquet floors, the Louis XIV couches, the marble staircase… they were exactly the same as before she left two years ago. And there it was, unmistakable, the portrait of her mother and father hanging above the stairs. She wanted to run up to it, to gaze upon their faces once more and remember exactly what they looked like. But she held back knowing it would only arouse suspicion.

Sebastian then took the lead. "This way, Miss Underwood. The young master is in his study."

She nodded, following him up the stairs. The demon noticed her stealing glances at the painting as they passed and smiled to himself. Her resemblance to Lady Phantomhive was striking. She was pretty under that layer of dirt, rather distinguished looking despite her middle class garb, not to mention she was gifted with Ciel's same haughty air. He could readily assume now that pride was simply a Phantomhive trait.

He made sure to lead her down the hallway slowly so that he could enjoy her taking everything in. After all, the reconstruction was a marvel to anyone who knew the original manor. The awestruck expression on Ursula's face told him she was either going to run away or faint. In any case, he was ready for either situation.

Soon they arrived at her father's old study. Sebastian politely asked her to wait outside as he went in to announce her.

Inside, Ciel Phantomhive was pouring over some plans for a store opening in Belgravia next month. Hearing his butler enter the room, he glanced up at him briefly with his good eye.

"Yes, Sebastian?" He asked, not bothering to pull himself away from his work.

"There is a Miss Underwood from Funtom's India branch here to see you," the demon informed him.

Ciel let out a tired sigh as if he couldn't be bothered. "What's the nature of her visit?"

"I believe…"

"Ciel?"

Both men turned their heads to see Ursula looking into the study from the hallway. Ciel stared at her in disbelief, his mouth slightly agape as he stood up and rounded the desk. "Ursula," he breathed in recognition.

The young lady then ran through the doorway past Sebastian who made no attempt to stop her. Reaching Ciel, she fell to her knees and enveloped him in her arms.

"Oh Ciel!" she cried in relief. Ursula had never thought it could really be him but there he was, safe and sound. It was beyond her most hopeful imaginings.

Pulling back, she looked into his good eye. It felt as if the bottom dropped out of her stomach then. He wasn't smiling, or happy, or relieved. He looked… utterly dejected.

To Be Continued!

**Author's Note:** Going into this story I was a tad worried about how it might be received. OCs are dodgy at the best of times. However, the idea of Ciel having an older sister kept gnawing at me. I had this vision of a strong woman who would always be a bit out of her depth once she enters Ciel's world. So I decided to give it a go. As I began writing I found that Ursula isn't simply a ride-along OC. She's quite the standalone figure who opens up a lot of new doors in the Black Butler world. Along with the original storyline blossoms a whole new set of stories that center around the Phantomhive family as well as the occult that was popular in London at the time.

What makes Ursula an interesting character to follow is that, though she is a human and not under the protection of a demon, she still manages to keep in-step with Sebastian and Ciel. She is so determined to watch out for her family that she's willing to run the gauntlet to make sure Ciel is safe. She's learned at an early age that family is everything. So whatever dangerous mission Ciel accepts from the queen, we see that she is brave enough to follow him. Whereas Ciel has Sebastian to protect him, Ursula must always go into battle unarmed and I think that is what really makes her a compelling OC.

I hope you have enjoyed the first chapter and look forward to reading the second.

**Next Time:** Ciel is suspicious of his sister's sudden reappearance after two years of being inexplicably absent. In order to gather more information he puts his butler on the job. Ursula soon learns her brother is not the same boy she remembers and that his loyalty to the queen makes protecting him a much harder task than she had imagined.


	2. The Girl In the Mirror

**Chapter Two: The Girl In the Mirror**

Ursula pulled away from her brother, her hands slowly retracting from his person. "Ciel, what's wrong?" She asked, immediately wishing that she hadn't. It was obvious wasn't it? She told herself. In the time of her absence, he too had been well acquainted with pain and the cruelty of men. She did not need to see his eye patch either to know it was true.

Being a gentleman of his breed, Ciel managed to play her question off well. "It's nothing, Ursula. I simply haven't seen you in some time." He told her.

"Of course," she nodded, trying to find some relief in his words but finding none. Everything felt so strained. "It's been over two years. You have grown so much since I last saw you."

"You as well," he told her. This was the truth. Before their parents sent her off to the Cavendish Academy, she was thin and gangly- fighting through that awkward age of late adolescence. Now she was a young woman, delicate and fine-figured like their mother.

"I'm so happy to see that you are alright. All this time I thought… I thought you were dead." She bit out, fighting through unshed tears.

Ciel watched her hang her head and avert her gaze. His sister never liked people seeing her cry. Even when she was young she felt it showed weakness. Being the elder sibling, she had always felt it was her duty to be strong for the family. As head of the Phantomhive family, he knew this feeling all too well.

Pursing his lips, he thought about what to do. It certainly was a strange and unexpected turn of events. Somehow he felt Sebastian was involved with it to some degree. Finally, he spoke, "I'm alright, Ursula. As you can see, I'm unharmed." Sebastian gave him a smug grin then as if to say, "liar". Still, Ciel ignored him. "I'm sure you've had a long journey. Sebastian will take you to your room where you can relax for a while then ready for dinner. We'll talk more then."

Ursula nodded before bringing herself to her feet. Before leaving the room, she turned back to her brother, "I can't tell you what it means to me to see your face again, Ciel." Then she was gone, Sebastian following in tow.

Ciel stared at the empty doorway, his brow slowly knitting together. "She couldn't really be her, could she?" It wasn't impossible… an imposter would be more probable. His sister's absence was a golden opportunity for someone to sneak in and claim to be the lost Phantomhive daughter. It would be too easy. But he was a real Phantomhive after all and he wouldn't be fooled. What's more is with Sebastian in his pocket, he had the power to figure out who she really was.

%%%%%%

Ursula walked down the hall with some trepidation. She knew the way well, but she chose to let Sebastian guide her anyway. What happened back there… it was not at all the reunion she had imagined. But then again, to think that such a tragic story as theirs would end like a fairytale was utterly foolish. Still, she had expected Ciel to feel some sort of tug on their family bond. But his expression was that of stone, his eyes cold. Could it be that he felt nothing when looking at her? The thought made her feel like a rock sinking to the bottom of the ocean. It had been so long, so many months of pain and torture then over a year of wandering. Her efforts to piece her family back together could not have been in vain… not after all she had suffered through.

She looked towards Sebastian, wondering if he could tell her anything about what happened to Ciel in the time she was gone. Could she even trust him? A woman like her could not afford to make friends with the wrong people. She could tell that Sebastian was very important to Ciel, that he held quite a large position of power in the household. Perhaps he would be a good ally to have.

Seeing his red gaze flicker back to hers, she realized that she was staring at him again. Diverting her eyes, she continued to follow behind him until they came to a carved wooden door.

"The young master had all of the family member's rooms converted into guest rooms. We are sorry for the inconvenience." He told her before opening the door to reveal her new room.

Ursula offered him a small, albeit melancholy smile. "It's no inconvenience at all, Sebastian. Thank you for the hospitality, especially on such short notice. Though, I fear I might have just put everyone out for the evening… I hate being a bother," she murmured before walking into the room.

It was decorated in lavish blues and greens complete with carved mahogany furniture and a four-poster bed. "It's perfect… thank you," she told him.

Sebastian nodded. He had a feeling this room would be to her liking. "I'm glad you're fond of it," he told her, watching with some satisfaction as her gaze wandered around the room. "I will send for Mey-Rin to help you get ready for dinner, my Lady." The taste of that title on his tongue was quite nice. The manor would benefit from a woman's touch. He could only imagine Ciel was already planning on how to get rid of her though.

%%%%%%

Sebastian entered the study once more and found Ciel had returned to his chair, his brow knit together in thought. When the boy's sapphire eyes met his butler's dark ruby ones, he saw the satisfied grin tugging at his lips.

"I escorted Lady Ursula to her room and assigned Mey-Rin to be her lady's maid for the evening."

"Mey-Rin? That's sure to be a disaster," the boy muttered.

"Would it be better if I undressed your sister?" The demon asked, a naughty grin tugging at his lips. He was joking of course, but he couldn't resist ruffling his young master's feathers every once in a while.

"Don't you dare think about it, Sebastian," Ciel growled, suddenly becoming defensive. Realizing he was merely joking, Ciel calmed down somewhat. "Do you think she's really my sister?" He asked.

"I think you'd be the most qualified to determine that," Sebastian answered honestly. By now his smile was gone. "Do you know why she was absent for so long?"

Ciel turned to look out the window and onto the garden. "Our parents sent her away to a lady's secondary school. I assumed she had run away because she had stopped answering my letters after the first three months. Wherever she ended up going, she must have heard of my return and come back to the manor. It all seems too suspicious."

All of this new information seemed to raise more questions than it answered but Sebastian withheld his curiosity for the moment. "I suppose you'll hear more about it over dinner?"

Ciel simply nodded. "I'm sure I will. In the meantime, I want you to keep your eyes and ears open. I want to know everything she says and does. Even the smallest detail could be something. Also, get her proper clothes to wear. A Phantomhive, even a potential imposter, must not fall short of excellence."

Sebastian grinned, knowing he would have fun with this task. "Yes, my Lord."

%%%%%%%%%

Mey-Rin ran into Ursula's room with several large white dress boxes stacked on her arms. Ursula watched as the maid tripped over her own feet and flew across the room towards her. Mey-Rin cried out in panic as the boxes went flying through the air. By pure chance, they landed in Ursula's arms. Mey-Rin went crashing to the ground and whimpered in pain as she found herself starting at her new mistress' boots.

"Are you alright?" Ursula asked, shocked by the maid's clumsiness.

Mey-Rin immediately jumped to her feet. "I'm so sorry, my lady!" She vigorously apologized, her face flushing red in utter embarrassment.

Then, seemingly out of nowhere, Sebastian appeared in the doorway."Mey-Rin, try to be more careful. We do not run in the house." He rebuked.

"Y-Yes Sebatian!" She cried, standing at attention.

Sebastian nodded before entering the room and turning his attention to Ursula. "Forgive me my lady," he said taking the white boxes from her and setting them in a neat pile on the bed.

"Please, it's nothing." She said, casting Mey-Rin a concerned glance. The maid looked as if she were about to explode into a nervous fit. Did she have some sort of crush on the devilishly handsome butler? Ursula couldn't very well blame her if she did.

"The master asked that I provide you with some suitable clothes so I made an appointment with a seamstress. She will arrive in the morning to fit you for a new wardrobe. Until then, I took the liberty of selecting a few evening gowns that would be suitable for dinner tonight. I hope they are to your liking."

Ursula nodded, thinking it was odd for Ciel to have his butler pick out her clothes. Not to mention the expediency in which he was able to provide them. That aside, she supposed her dirty traveling garb was not appropriate for dinner. "Thank you, I'm sure they're lovely." She told him.

Sebastian pulled one of his polite smiles then, "Mey-Rin will help you ready for dinner. If you need anything else, please ask."

Once he left the room, Ursula turned to the boxes he had placed on the bed. "Let's see what we have to work with, shall we?" she said. As strange as it was, Ursula had to admit she was curious to see what he brought.

The first box contained a ghastly pink dress with cream-colored lace. She hated pink. Ever since she was a girl she was averse to the color. Lady Elizabeth would have fallen in love with it, however. "I think not," she muttered to herself as she pushed the box as far away from her as possible.

The next box looked as if it were about to burst open at the seams. When Ursula pried off the lid she found that it was basically spring-loaded, stuffed corner-to-corner with powder blue chiffon and white tulle. She had no desire to look like a teacake this evening. "Not likely," she snorted as she set the top back on the box and pushed it next to the pink monstrosity.

Shaking her head, she looked down at the last box. She expected to see something canary yellow, covered in ruffles and satin roses. Instead she found a gown that took her breath away. It was black as crow's feathers; made from silk taffeta so luxurious its sheen was almost blue. This dress spoke of dark desires and even darker secrets. It was a dress fit for a Phantomhive. "This one," she whispered, placing her hand over it, feeling its finery. "This is the one."

Mey-Rin's eyes widened as she looked at the black, low cut gown, her hands flying up to her mouth. "Please excuse me for one second," She said before bolting into the empty closet and closing the door. She then started jumping up and down in a spastic fit. "Oh, Sebastian has such scandalous taste! And so does my mistress! So dark and sexy and… I'm going to faint from excitement!" She whisper-screamed in the confined space.

"Are you alright in there?" She heard Ursula call.

"Y-yes! I'm sorry, mistress!" She cried out, making no move to reenter the room.

"Perhaps we should get started?" Ursula suggested.

"Of course! Right away, my Lady!" She called out. "It feels so strange saying that, yes." She mused before opening the door.

After a long, luxurious bath that was occasionally interrupted by embarrassed squeaks from Mey-Rin who seemed scandalized by female nudity, Ursula sat down at her vanity table and began to dust her shoulders with a light jasmine scented powder. It seemed like ages ago since she had done this routine but it quickly came back to her. She did everything herself, insisting Mey-Rin only help her put on her dress for fear of what sort of beautification nightmare she'd make of her hair and face.

Once she was ready, she walked over to the full-length mirror in the corner to look at herself. For the briefest of moments she was transported back in time, before the incident- to when her life was once whole. But the vision was fleeting, leaving her in the darkness once more. She was no longer that young girl she once knew, so full of hope and full of life. In fact, she wasn't sure what she had become. Parts of her felt hardened, cold as steel. Others felt as brittle as sugar glass, ready to shatter with one wrong look. And all these disparate parts put together still were not enough to make a whole person.

After a few moments, Mey-Rin's reflection appeared in the mirror beside her, shaking her from her thoughts. "Oh, you look so beautiful!" She breathed in amazement.

"Thank you," Ursula said. The dinner bell chimed then and she turned away from the looking glass.

AN: I hope you all enjoyed this chapter! Please leave a review! Also to any Attack on Titan fans, please check out my new story Battle Cry!

It seems that Ursula is going to have a lot of explaining to do… and she better do it quick seeing as she has a demon following her every move. Next chapter contains a rather awkward dinner and an even more awkward late-night run-in with a certain butler (no lemon yet).


End file.
